Quick and affordable access to justice
For those who risk financial or reputational damage from a media related disagreement, Impress provides an alternative dispute resolution service that delivers quick, affordable, discreet results, at a fraction of the cost of going to court.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a way of settling disagreements or legal disputes without entering a courtroom. Instead of a judge, an independent third-party expert is appointed who reviews the case and facilitates a resolution. A potential outcome could be a private settlement or a published judgement. Disputes may be with an individual, organisation, publisher, personality or any kind of media entity.
Seeking justice via traditional legal channels is prohibitive due to:
- High legal costs, as well as the inability to recover fees or be granted sufficient compensation in damages, even if the case is found in your favour.
- Minimum threshold of £10,000 in damages for most lawyer firms to represent.
- Long waits for court appearances – currently more than a year. • Risk of further reputational damage in the public eye while awaiting trial.
- SLAPPs and the exhaustion of resources by spurious or vexatious litigation
- Difficulty in proving the merits of a case and demonstrating a claimant would suffer significant disadvantage should the disagreement be allowed to stand.
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Resolve disagreements quickly! Agreements or judgements can be reached within a week to a few months, depending on the case and your requirements.
Reach a settlement at a fraction of the cost of court. There is no minimum threshold to take a case and fees start from as little as £1500 (split between parties).
Deter any legal action intended to harass, intimidate, or exhaust financial and psychological resources (including SLAPPs) and improper use of the legal system to force outcomes.
Simple, legally backed process that can be navigated without the need of a lawyer. Terms, timeline and outcomes are tailored to the parties and case.
Gain the freedom to hold power to account without fear of costly legal reprisal, or threat of suppression by well-resourced organisations and legal teams.
Choose between a formal published judgment, or resolving the dispute privately, outside the glare of the public eye.
Legally endorsed process that is current, progressive, favoured by court-systems for its speed of resolution and designed to reflect the fast-paced media industry. Option for legally binding decisions, with no room for appeal.
Benefit from independent third-party arbitrators and mediators who are leading experts in their fields (including all media law).
Is alternative dispute resolution for me?
Our speedy, affordable dispute resolution is open to anyone with a disagreement. We have significant experience in media law and the media industry, and can resolve claims for:
- Journalists, content creators & influencers
- Artists & creative collectives
- Employees, contractors & freelancers in the media space
- Publishers, broadcasters, agencies, ISPs, and music or film production companies
- People or organisations with an online presence
- Business owners
- And more!
The service can be used to resolve any type of disagreement, legal or otherwise. It is well-suited to any civil claim that involves commercial or contractual disputes, and can be tailored for specific aspects of media law like defamation, malicious falsehood, copyright infringement, misuse of private information, harassment etc.
If you have a dispute that needs quick and cost-effective resolution to avoid financial damage, reputational risk or intimidation by a well-resourced entity, this service is for you.
How Impress Alternative Dispute Resolution works
Impress Arbitration
Arbitration involves the appointment of an independent third-party who considers all facts before issuing a judgement, which is legally binding and enforceable through the courts.
As an alternative to litigation, Arbitration provides fair, impartial, cost-effective path to restitution where serious harm or loss has been proved.
Impress Mediation
Mediation involves the appointment of an independent third-party who facilitates dialogue between parties, that allows them to reach a private settlement via mutual agreement.
As an alternative to litigation, Mediation serves to preserve the relationship between parties, while providing a rapid, cost-effective route to a fair settlement.
